Behavioural Department & Complex Department
The Behavioural department is managed by Malcolm Conquer and Deputy Terry Pringle. The Behavioural Department runs services within the Newcastle Upon Tyne area.
The complex Department is managed by Alan Thompson and deputies Sophie Clegg and David Barron. They manage services in the North Tyneside Area.
What is the difference between the Behavioural Department and the Complex Department?
The Behavioural Department is responsible for overseeing the delivery and quality of supported living services across the Newcastle upon Tyne locality. The Complex Department is responsible for the North Tyneside Area. The Complex Department is a core and cluster of services. Both Departments are specifically for individuals who present with complex and challenging behaviours with the use of PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression).
What do the departments do?
Our primary focus is to ensure that service users receive consistent, person-centred support that promotes independence, safety, and quality of life. We provide comprehensive managerial support to senior team leaders, team leaders, and frontline staff, facilitating effective service delivery and fostering a culture of reflective practice and continuous improvement.
A key aspect of our role involves the auditing and monitoring of services to ensure full compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards. This includes evaluating current practices, identifying areas for development, and implementing strategies to promote best practice across all behavioural support services. Our audits also assess the effectiveness of support strategies and the consistency of their implementation across teams.
Additionally, the behavioural department is responsible for the development, review, and quality assurance of Behavioural Support Plans for a caseload of service users. These plans are evidence-based, person-centred, and regularly updated to reflect the changing needs and progress of each individual. We work closely with support teams to ensure they have the knowledge, confidence, and tools to implement these plans effectively.
Where behavioural challenges arise, we provide targeted support and guidance to staff teams, helping them to develop proactive and reactive strategies to manage behaviours safely and respectfully with the use of PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression). Our work is carried out in close collaboration with local frameworks and best-practice models in positive behaviour support.
Health & Safety
In addition to his role managing the Newcastle Behavioural Department, Malcolm also serves as the Health & Safety Lead for New Beginnings. In this capacity, he holds responsibility for ensuring New Beginnings remains fully compliant with all statutory health and safety regulations. Malcolm plays a key role in maintaining a safe working and living environment across all services.
He also oversees the collection, analysis, and reporting of incident data from all service areas. This information is systematically collated on a monthly basis to identify patterns or emerging trends. These insights are used both as a safeguarding measure and to inform whether the implementation of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies may be required to enhance service delivery and support outcomes.